Can Joplin Be Customised With Plugins and Themes?

Updated

Yes. Joplin supports plugins, custom themes, and a choice of text editors (Rich Text or Markdown), and you can build your own scripts and plugins through its Extension API. The web clipper for Chrome and Firefox extends the app further by saving web pages or screenshots as notes. This applies to the Joplin app itself; some collaboration and sharing features sit in Joplin Cloud rather than the plugin system.

What you can customise

Joplin's own description of the app lists these customisation options:

  • Plugins — extend the app's functionality.
  • Custom themes — change how the app looks.
  • Multiple text editors — work in either Rich Text or Markdown.
  • Your own scripts and plugins — build them using the Extension API.

The web clipper is a separate extension, available on Chrome and Firefox, that saves web pages or takes screenshots as notes.

How the pieces fit together

Customisation What it changes Where it comes from
Plugins Adds or extends features Joplin plugin system
Custom themes Visual appearance Joplin theme settings
Rich Text / Markdown editors How you write notes Built into the app
Extension API Lets you create your own scripts and plugins Joplin developer surface
Web clipper Captures web pages and screenshots as notes Chrome and Firefox extensions

What this means in practice

If your goal is to adapt Joplin to how you already work, the plugin and theme system is the main route: you install or write plugins for missing features, and apply themes to change the interface. If your goal is to capture material from the web, the clipper handles that from the browser rather than from inside the app.

Note that sharing notes with friends, family, or colleagues, and publishing a note to the internet via a URL, are described as Joplin Cloud features — not as plugin or theme capabilities. So customisation and collaboration are separate concerns.

Where to start

  • To browse or add plugins and themes, use the app's plugin and theme options.
  • To write your own, look at the Extension API.
  • To capture web content, install the web clipper in Chrome or Firefox.
  • To share or publish notes, look at Joplin Cloud.

For the current list of available plugins and themes, and the exact steps for installing them, check Joplin's own documentation and plugin listings, since these change over time.